Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis never asked former President Donald Trump to postpone a rally in Sarasota scheduled for Saturday, his office told the Daily Caller News Foundation Wednesday.
“Governor DeSantis is focusing on his duties as Governor and the tragedy in Surfside, and has never suggested or requested that events planned in different parts of Florida — from the Stanley Cup finals to President Trump’s rally — should be canceled,” DeSantis’ office said in the statement to the DCNF.
“He wants all Floridians to enjoy the holiday weekend and celebrate Independence Day however they choose, while keeping the Surfside families and first responders in their prayers,” the statement said.
An article from the Washington Examiner had quoted anonymous sources saying DeSantis’ office “made a direct plea” to Trump’s team to postpone the rally in light of the ongoing search-and-rescue mission at the site of the collapsed Surfside condo building.
President Donald Trump deplanes with Florida governor and US senatorial candidate Rick Scott, left, and Republican gubernatorial candidate Ron DeSantis and his wife for a campaign rally at the Pensacola International Airport on November 3, 2018 in Pensacola, Florida. (Photo by Mark Wallheiser/Getty Images)
“The governor is completely focused on this whole disaster in Surfside, but Florida’s a big state. There’s a lot going on. He does not find it wrong or disrespectful or anything like that to be doing a rally,” a person close to DeSantis’ office told the DCNF. (RELATED: DeSantis Appears To Be A Popular Lead For 2024, Straw Poll Shows)
The source said that if not for the disaster in Surfside, DeSantis would most likely be attending the rally. The source did not rule out that DeSantis would end up appearing at the rally, but said it was unlikely.
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